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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22736668">The First Finish Line</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue'>EzraTheBlue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Promnis Valentine's Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, First Meetings, M/M, Puppy Love, Self-Esteem Issues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:28:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,329</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22736668</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompto has committed to his exercise routine. He's determined to get in shape so he can make some friends!</p>
<p>When his first run doesn't go to plan, however, Prompto meets someone who's happy to pick him back up.</p>
<p>(Day 3 of Promnis Valentine's Week 2020: Firsts/Puppy Love)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Promnis Valentine's Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633150</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>82</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The First Finish Line</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>The First Finish Line</b>
</p>
<p>He was going to do it. He had decided. It was too important. He had been asked a favor, and if this was what it took for him to accomplish it, he would power through. </p>
<p>Prompto tied on his battered old trainers, put on a pair of jogging shorts, and checked the little map he’d drawn himself. He was used to walking himself home from school, especially on days when his parents weren’t home (which was more often than not, nowadays), so he knew most of the turns by heart. If he added in a few extra turns here and there, to the market, to the burger place he liked (just without buying anything), he’d end up adding an extra mile to the whole loop there and all the way home. </p>
<p>If he made sure to make this run every day before or after school, that would be good for him, right? </p>
<p>Prompto picked at the wristband on his arm, then picked at the pudge hanging off of his arm. He bit his lip, and his mind replayed the two words Noctis had said to him. <em> “You’re heavy.” </em> He grimaced, then tightened his shoelaces.</p>
<p>He had to do this. For Noctis. For Lady Lunafreya. If anyone was ever going to like him, he had to become someone people could like! A week of eating nothing but salads and fruit had barely made the scale budge, he had to work the weight off and he knew it.</p>
<p>How hard could running be, anyway?</p>
<hr/>
<p>As it turned out, running was very hard.</p>
<p>Prompto could run in short bursts, like when he was late for class, or if an elevator was about to close, but he’d never tried to run for more than a short sprint. He’d tried running at his fastest pace first, but he couldn’t make it for more than a hundred meters. He ran out of breath before he managed the first block. </p>
<p>But he had to keep going.</p>
<p>Prompto was exhausted by the time he passed the convenience store, but he kept pushing even as every breath he dragged in scraped his throat, tongue lolling as he panted for breath. </p>
<p>But he had to keep going! He would make it to the finish line if it killed him!</p>
<p>His shoelace came untied, and he tripped and ate it hard, face and chest scraping the ground as he tumbled, and he groaned as he tumbled onto his hands. His eyes welled up with tears, but he held his breath for a moment to dam them back, telling himself the pain wasn’t important, it didn’t matter how much he hurt, he had to do this!</p>
<p>How much more would it hurt if he didn’t? If he failed his promise? If he couldn’t make himself into someone Prince Noctis would like? </p>
<p>If he couldn’t become someone <em> anyone </em> would like?</p>
<p>He kept running, kept pushing himself. He wouldn’t give up on his first run!</p>
<p>His shirt was soaking wet, either with sweat or blood, he wasn’t looking, he didn’t care, he had to do it, had to keep going, he had to, <em> he had to </em>--</p>
<p>Prompto’s knee gave up first. </p>
<p>He crumpled, first one leg, then the other, and then his chest buckled over his thighs, and he was left in a heap in front of the school gates, panting and spent. He tried to push himself up on his hands, but his arms felt like noodles, limp and weak. He couldn’t get up this time, and nobody was there to pick him up, even if that help only punctuated how useless he was. He couldn’t get up, he would never get up, he was just going to be stuck here forever-</p>
<p>“Excuse me, are you quite alright?” </p>
<p>Prompto had strength enough to lift his head, and saw an older boy in nice clothes - like, a slightly smaller adult going to a board meeting - standing above him. The boy pursed his lips when Prompto met his eyes, then took a handkerchief from his pocket - wow, what kind of kid had one of those? - and began to dab at Prompto’s face and brow. “I’m terribly sorry, but you seem to be bleeding.”</p>
<p>“Um…. buh…” Prompto’s tongue was too thick in his mouth. He couldn’t do more but continue to keep dragging in every laborious breath, wheezing as his lungs rebelled and collapsed with every exhale. The older boy’s brow knit, and he took a knee.</p>
<p>“Breathe with me.” The older boy exhaled, then slowly inhaled. Prompto tried to match him, straining, pained, but after a few long minutes, he began to feel his chest expanding properly again. Meanwhile, the older boy manipulated him into sitting against the fence, guiding him by the arm with a sure hand which now rested between his shoulders. Once Prompto had gathered himself, he smeared the stagnant tears from his cheeks, and touched his chest. The scrape was still bleeding, and he made a face.</p>
<p>“Sorry. I’m s-sorry…”</p>
<p>“Whatever for?” The older boy had not removed his hand from Prompto’s back.</p>
<p>Prompto swallowed and pointed. “Your hankie. It’s all bloody.”</p>
<p>“Never you mind that,” the older boy replied breezily as he tucked his handkerchief away, “it’s nothing a tenth-crown of bleach won’t fix.” The older boy turned to kneel in front of Prompto again. “I’m Ignis. What’s your name?”</p>
<p>“Prompto. S’nice to meet you, I guess.”</p>
<p>Ignis smiled in a diplomatic way, more like a teacher than anything. “Likewise. So, whatever did bring you back to school on a lovely afternoon such as this?” </p>
<p>Prompto swallowed again. “I was, um, running.” He mimicked swinging his arms like he was running. “Like, exercise.”</p>
<p>“I see!” Ignis, to his surprise, smiled. “How wonderful! Too many people our age are so resistant to an exercise routine! How long have you been running?”</p>
<p>“About forty-five minutes,” Prompto mumbled.</p>
<p>Ignis cocked his head. “Do you mean to say this is your first time? My goodness. Good on you for making such a strong initial effort!” He smiled again, then put a hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “However, and please don’t take this as discouragement, you should pace yourself when you’re first starting a routine like that. Perhaps try jogging for two minutes, then walking for five.” </p>
<p>Prompto flushed, his face somehow heating even more than it already was. “Um… okay.” </p>
<p>“Please don’t take offense.” Ignis’ expression was still kind, still open, and he sounded so sincere. “I do very much want you to keep running. However, everyone must start somewhere in order to meet their goals. You can run a little more as you build up your endurance!” Ignis smiled brightly and patted Prompto’s hand. “Do you have a goal in mind?”</p>
<p>Prompto shook his head. “I just wanna be lighter.” </p>
<p>Prompto had said it without thinking, but the way Ignis’ brow wrinkled told him it was the wrong thing to say. “Is that so? I daresay, you’ve likely some more growing to do. Most boys our age want to get bigger and stronger.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need to get bigger. I’m too heavy.” He swallowed. “I… I can’t make friends… because I’m too heavy…”</p>
<p>Ignis’ brow knit up with obvious worry. “I’m very sorry to hear that you think that.” He sat down beside Prompto again. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think your size has anything to do with how likeable you are.”</p>
<p>Prompto bit his lip. “I dunno. I tried… to talk to someone… And I tripped...”</p>
<p>Ignis smiled wryly. “Accident prone, are we?” Prompto bit his lower lip.</p>
<p>“He tried to help me up and said I was too heavy.” </p>
<p>“Ah.” Ignis furrowed his brow. “That was terribly rude of him. I can only hope he meant to say, ‘I am having trouble lifting you.’ You shouldn’t take such things to heart. After all, I wonder if, perhaps, you could have tried to speak to him nonetheless.”</p>
<p>Prompto curled his knees to his chest. “I wanted to… but I was so embarrassed… I really want to be his friend…” </p>
<p>“Then why don’t you try again?” Ignis gave his shoulder a little push. “I’m certain you have much more to talk about than just your weight.” He leaned forward. “If you were going to talk to this young man, what would you talk about?”</p>
<p>Prompto sucked on his lower lip. “I… um… I wanted to show him a picture I took of a cat. Because I saw him petting a cat outside the school once.”</p>
<p>“That’s tremendously thoughtful.” Ignis blinked owlishly. “Do you like photography?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s my favorite thing ever. Better than video games or comic books. I like… I like taking photos of things that make me happy.”</p>
<p>“I see.” Ignis touched his lower lip. “Do you… do you have your camera?” Prompto shook his head. “What an awful shame. I had hoped to see your pictures. Tell you what, if you come running by here again tomorrow, bring your camera. I’d love to see.”</p>
<p>Prompto’s chest suddenly felt hot and tight inside, and he whipped around to face Ignis. “Do you mean that?”</p>
<p>“I do!” Ignis smiled sheepishly. “I, er, I’m rather busy, so I don’t get out to go to too many places.”</p>
<p>“You’re busy? But you’re…” Prompto bit his lip and tried to guess his age. “You’re not much older than me, are you?”</p>
<p>“I’m fourteen.”</p>
<p>“Twelve.” Prompto sucked his lower lip in again. “So…”</p>
<p>“I have, er, a job.” Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose. “I rather like it, but it keeps me from going places and doing things other people my age can.”</p>
<p>“I just go to parks and take pictures of the flowers, and cats I see on the street.”</p>
<p>“I like cats,” Ignis whispered, and Prompto couldn’t withhold a giggle.</p>
<p>“Okay! I’ll get lots of pictures of cats ready for you!” Prompto grinned at Ignis, and Ignis’ eyes lit up. </p>
<p>“Oh,” he said softly, then hurried to his feet and held a hand out. “Here, can I help you up?” </p>
<p>Prompto hesitated, then slowly extended a hand towards Ignis’. Ignis bridged the distance to take it and pulled him up with a soft noise of effort. “There you are.” Ignis dusted Prompto’s shoulders and front. “Now, since you put in so much work running all the way here, would you like a ride home? If you’re willing to wait a few minutes, I can arrange for you to have a ride home, wherever you may live.”</p>
<p>Prompto shuffled his feet nervously. “Um. If… if it’s not…”</p>
<p>He was about to say ‘too much trouble,’ when trouble approached and spoke: “Iggy? Who’s that?” </p>
<p>Prompto froze stone cold as <em> Prince Noctis </em> emerged from the school gates with an older man with coiffed hair and glasses at his side. Ignis put an arm around Prompto’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Ah, your Highness. This is Prompto. He was out for a run, but he needed a bit of a rest so I was sitting with him.” Ignis patted Prompto’s shoulder as Prompto shivered under Noctis’ wide-eyed gaze. “I imagine he goes to school here.” Ignis glanced to Prompto. “Prompto, have you met His Highness?”</p>
<p>“N-noct.” Noctis quickly extended a hand. “You can call me Noct. Um, you’re… from the other day, right?”</p>
<p>“I… um… yeah.” Prompto nervously took and shook his hand. “Sorry, um, about-”</p>
<p>“No, um, I wanted to…” Noctis spoke haltingly, nervously. “I wanted to. Um. I’m sorry too.” He cringed. “You ran…”</p>
<p>“I was embarrassed…” Prompto hung his head. Ignis, however, cleared his throat.</p>
<p>“I was just about to ask: Uncle, may we give Prompto a ride home?” Ignis had turned his attention to the older gentleman. “He ran all the way here and he’s quite tired.”</p>
<p>The gentleman studied Prompto for a moment, then smiled much in the way Ignis did. “I don’t see why not, so long as you sit in the back with His Highness and the young man.” </p>
<p>Noctis took Prompto’s elbow. “You can call me Noct, okay?” He gripped Prompto’s arm tight. “Do you play King’s Knight?” </p>
<p>Prompto’s eyes went wide - the Prince played video games? “I haven’t heard of that one.”</p>
<p>“Can I show you? Iggy, can we show Prompto King’s Knight?”</p>
<p>“Certainly!” Ignis smiled warmly, taking out his phone as he walked them out to the parking lot and putting one arm around Prompto’s shoulder. “Here, I have it downloaded.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, we can show you!” Noctis grinned. “Me and Iggy need someone else in our party, so when you get home and stuff you can download it and we can all play together.”</p>
<p>“That sounds awesome!” Prompto hopped in place, forgetting about the pain in his legs and how his lungs had hurt shortly ago. He looked to Ignis, whose face was lit up, eyes warm and a little misty. </p>
<p>Prompto felt something else in his chest at that expression: a tiny flutter in his heart. His heart only fluttered more when Ignis put his hand on his lower back, and despite still being heavy, his steps were just a little lighter as Ignis ushered him forward. </p>
<p>Prompto would keep running, yes, in hopes he would see Ignis again, because Ignis had said it was a good idea, and because it led him to Noctis. He still thought he would feel better about himself if he weren’t as heavy, but it turned out that people liked him anyway. Noctis had wanted to see him. Ignis wanted to see him again now, too.</p>
<p>Prompto’s face was warm in the car the entire ride home, with Noctis showing him the controls and Ignis’ hand on his shoulder, watching the screen with him as Prompto made a mental list of all the neighborhood cats to show his new friends.</p>
<p>Ignis squeezed his shoulder, and Prompto resolved that he’d run back to the school every day if it meant he might see him there.</p>
<p>His first run would not be his last, because Ignis was at the finish line.</p>
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